Pre-Season Sked Update

The Capitals recently released their pre-season schedule for 2008-09, but the venue for one of the dates was noted as “TBD” at the time of release. The big news today (can you tell it’s still July?) is that the TBD has been determined.

On Mon. Sept. 29 the Caps will travel north to the Prudential Center where they will take on the New Jersey Devils in what will be the fourth of Washington’s seven-game pre-season slate.

I am quite the fan of the monthly open houses. They have been helping me get through the summer. The wife got Green’s autograph, again.

Mike, if you read this I have a question.

On the show today you said basically that 2-3 guys wouldn’t be making the team, in theory. That they would have training camp, bring all 25 guys or so and let the best man win. Assuming that the 2-3 guys who don’t make the roster have to clear waivers would George then just have to risk it and send them down? Or see if they can be traded?

Personally I dont’ care as much about cap space as I do making sure Alzer makes it on the caps if he is ready. For most of us, I’d say that is the biggest question mark.

The only way Alzner doesn’t make this team is if Jurcina makes a quantum leap forward in his play. Alzner played in the juniors last year and really was a man against boys there. He has no business playing in the minor leagues either, he’s far ahead of them. The only thing that would keep him from making the team would be if he came into camp with a questionable work ethic or attitude, and that has *never* been an issue with him either. I see him not only making the team, but being the defenseman logging the second most even strength minutes (after Poti, who eats up minutes like crazy). In fact, if it were my team, Alzner would be paired with Poti at the start of the season (along Green-Morrisonn and Schultz-Erskine or Schultz-Lepisto).

Here’s hoping the Caps might find a buyer for Jurcina, ideally out west somewhere…

Everything I’ve seen of Alzner (watching him at the World Jr’s for example) has impressed me. He looks like he has his head screwed on straight, has a great work ethic and is willing to do whatever it takes to help this team. If he’s not a top-4 defenseman this year, he will be by next year. Heck, he might even succeed Clark as captain (Admittedly, it’s AO’s “C” if he wants it, but I don’t think AO needs to have the “C” to be a leader on the team…)

I wish I could say which player in Caps history Alzner reminds me of, but he’s unique in that he plays defense in Rod Langway style (efficient, effective, hitting when necessary, sending a message every so often), but he has better offensive skills than Langway. His offense isn’t up there with an Iafrate, Hatcher or Green…maybe in the Johansson class offensively, or Scott Stevens (of course he doesn’t hit like Stevens…the only active player who comes close to hitting like that is Dion Phaneuff in Calgary and he’s not as good a hitter as Stevens).

Bill James, I think, once wrote that it is a sign of greatness in a ball player if comprable players are hard to find….the same probably holds true for hockey players.

The Caps are going to do well this year and there are Stanley Cups in the future… I don’t see how they can avoid it.